High-speed time delay and integration solid state scanner

Abstract

Efficient opaque metal conductors extending across the light receiving surface of a time delay and integration scanning array, are arranged at an angle to the array so as to make their interference with light, projected onto the array, substantially uniform. An anamorphic lens distorts the image projected onto the array to enable more convenient and efficient use of the array surface area.

I claim: 
     
       1. An image scanner for converting a radiation image pattern into an electronic image, including a time delay and integration array and means for moving the radiation image pattern relative to the array along a first direction, the array including a semiconductor member having a plurality of contiguous photosensitive electrical charge holding regions, each of said regions extending along said first direction and having a radiation receptive surface, and a plurality of control electrodes, each extending substantially at right angles to said first direction and overlying adjacent portions of the radiation receptive surface of said regions, said control electrodes being capable of conducting both said radiation pattern and electrical current, control means for applying control voltages to selected ones of said control electrodes in synchronism with said relative movement, and a plurality of relatively opaque electrical conductors extending angularly across said regions and said control electrodes and interconnecting said control means with said control electrodes. 
     
     
       2. An image scanner, as defined in claim 1, wherein said conductors are evenly spaced across the surface of said semiconductor member. 
     
     
       3. An image scanner, as defined in claim 1, wherein said control electrodes and said semiconductor regions define picture elements charge accumulation sites of elongated shape, having the dimension aligned with said first direction larger than the dimension transverse thereto, and anamorphic lens means for projecting said radiation image onto said sites with a proportionally lesser optical reduction in the longer dimension of said site than in the transverse dimension thereof.